http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler stories of landscapes, conservation, and people in and beyond the Rivanna Watershed Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:11:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 en hourly 1 © lmiddleton@embarqmail.com () lmiddleton@embarqmail.com() stories of landscapes, conservation, and people in and beyond the Rivanna Watershed lmiddleton@embarqmail.com No no http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpg http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler 144 144 http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/12/11/115-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-stores-our-dirt-too/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/12/11/115-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-stores-our-dirt-too/#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:00:51 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/12/11/115-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-stores-our-dirt-too/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/12/11/115-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-stores-our-dirt-too/feed/ 0 5:23 December 11, 2008 There's a lot of different ways to look at our diminishing resources -- running out of clean water, clean air, and .... good ... December 11, 2008 There's a lot of different ways to look at our diminishing resources -- running out of clean water, clean air, and .... good dirt?nbsp; We might do well to look past the problem of the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir filling up with dirt -- and try to understand the causes of -- and consequences of losing dirt from the landscapes upstream. This show originally aired on December 11, 2008nbsp; on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. There is slow steady winter rain thatrsquo;s keeping temperatures hovering around forty degrees and the skies dark with winter gloom.nbsp; But the rain is good -- for our groundwater, for our reservoirs, and it is good for the plants and animals that need this most essential resource to survive.nbsp; This rain is also filling our rivers ndash; and I would wager ndash; sending a good amount of water into the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir, along with a healthy amount of dirt. Now, that dirt is slowly but surely filling the reservoir ndash; each year, decreasing its capacity from 1 to 5 per cent since it was completed in 1969.nbsp; In another example of our human short-sightedness, like many public works installations of the era, the design life of this reservoir was only fifty years, at which time the reservoir would be filled to over 50% of its capacity. This was the "water supply plan" back then ndash; and it is, in part, this plan that has us where we are today, scrambling to find a way to maintain the usefulness of a reservoir that was poorly situated with an uncharacteristically large watershed from which to drain --nbsp; and one that, in the conventional wisdom of the day, was always expected to fill up with sediment.nbsp; Hence, the current discussions about dredging. Since the cost of disposal of the dredge material is generally agreed to be the most expensive part of any dredging operation, this got me thinking about the value of the sediment itself and whether we are, once again, missing the mark in the way we think about our natural resources ndash; letting the pocket book drive the decision without consideration for other factors that, because they are ecosystem benefits and difficult to quantify, don't often get put into the cost benefit analysis. There have been some creative responses by contractors interested in dredging the South Fork Reservoir ndash; and in most cases, we donrsquo;t know the ultimate destination of the sediment, it's just part of the economic equation upon which the offers are being built.nbsp; They range from a method of opportunistic, selective dredging of just sand and gravel when market makes it economically profitable ndash; to more complex projects proposed, including using the fill to extend the Airport's runway ndash; or to fill a nearby quarry, presumably for reuse later on. The US Army Corps of Engineers has been thinking about the use of dredged materials for years.nbsp; Charged with keeping our waterways clear for navigation, the Corps promotes the use of dredged materials for creating wetlands and improving fish and wildlife habitats, as well as the construction-related kinds of uses, such as land creation for runways, buildings, and other human strudtures.nbsp; And dredge materials can also be used to improve the soil structure of poor agricultural lands, creating topsoil or serving as the base structure for soil amendments. Dr. David Montgomery is a geo-moprhologist and a 2008 MacArthur Foundation Fellow, who has spent his career looking at the complex relationship between rivers and the soils that they transport ndash; historically tone of the primary land changing processes. His recent book, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilization, provides a sobering description of the consequences of squandering "good dirt" ndash; the topsoil in which we grow our food, the topsoil that takes generations to create.nbsp; Montgomery's book look... Albemarle,County,,Charlottesville,,Geology,,Headwaters,,Ivy,Creek,,Rivanna,River,,Sediment,,Uncategorized,,Water,Supply lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/16/107-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-task-force/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/16/107-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-task-force/#comments Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:24:26 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/16/107-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-task-force/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/16/107-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-task-force/feed/ 0
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6:03 October 16, 2008 The South Fork Rivanna Reservoir, built in 1966, is continuing to silt in from upstream erosion.nbsp; The South Fork Rivanna Reservoir Task Force ... October 16, 2008 The South Fork Rivanna Reservoir, built in 1966, is continuing to silt in from upstream erosion.nbsp; The South Fork Rivanna Reservoir Task Force is examining the condition of the reservoir and is seeking public input regarding its uses and fate. This show originally aired on October 5, 2006 and as an encore on October 9, 2008nbsp; on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. Almost twice a month for the last couple of months, a small group of citizens and representatives of various stakeholders has been meeting to discuss the fate of the South Fork Ravenna Reservoir.nbsp; The members of this task force represent the variety of uses and benefits that the reservoir now affords this community. Built in 1966 to augment the storage capacity at the Ragged Mountain Reservoir, it now also provides miles of flatwater for varsity and community rowers.nbsp; Fishermen come from surrounding counties to launch jon boats at all times of day and night.nbsp; Novice canoeists learn their first skills on its calm dark waters.nbsp; The upper reaches of Ivy Creek consistently offer sightings of beaver, green and great blue herons, turtles, and, sometimes even bobcats. The reservoir also provides an immutable kind of pleasure and solace that only an expanse of water can do ndash; one that can be appreciated looking upstream or down while crossing its bridges, or for the fortunate few who live along its shores, from livings rooms and decks.nbsp; Out of sight ndash; and out of the minds of most ndash; is what lies beneath, the remains of a small but thriving African American community at Hydraulic Mills which was vacated and submerged when the waters rose after the dam construction. The aesthetic, recreational, and ecological benefits were never the primary purpose of building this reservoir, but as the community contemplates its future, it is these very benefits that the Task Force has been asked to consider by the four chairs ndash; two of them elected, Charlottesville's Mayor, Dave Norris, and the Chair of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, Ken Boyd ndash; and two appointed, the Chair of the Albemarle County Service Authority Board, Don Wagner, and the RWSA Board Chair, Mike Gaffney. The Task Force has been asked to determine what would happen to the reservoir if nothing is done to maintain it hellip; and to make recommendations about whether or not to maintain itndash; presumably by dredging.nbsp; And finally, if dredging is to be recommended, for what purpose?nbsp; Retain the ecologic benefits?nbsp; The recreational benefits?nbsp; The guidance was clear to the Task Force ndash; With the approved water supply as a given, lets turn our attention to the South Fork Reservoir. It may seem to some a no-brainer that, of course, we would maintain this piece of aging infrastructure ndash; one that in the 1960s was actually designed for a useful life of only fifty years.nbsp; That's the way it was done back then ndash; and we are not alone in this community in grappling what to do now that hindsight has caught up with us and our infrastructure, including dams, now demand attention. And you'd think that dredging the South Fork should obviously become the centerpiece of any future water supply plan ndash; but somehow, it didn't in this last go around.nbsp; How could that be so? There are a variety of reasons, some regulatory and some practical.nbsp; Foremost is the fact that simply dredging to the original volume will not get this community to the 50 year need, based on growth and water use predictions.nbsp; And there are other issues:nbsp; dredging requires permits from the Army Corp of Engineers, who carefully regulate all land-disturbing activity on river bottoms and who are especially watchful over the wetlands that provide multiple ecologic benefit. And the water supply plan must address other aspects of aging... Albemarle,County,,Charlottesville,,Headwaters,,Ivy,Creek,,Moormans,River,,Rivanna,River,,Sediment,,South,Fork,,Water,Supply lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/08/28/100-learning-to-see-the-flowers-through-the-trees/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/08/28/100-learning-to-see-the-flowers-through-the-trees/#comments Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:33:03 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/08/28/100-learning-to-see-the-flowers-through-the-trees/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/08/28/100-learning-to-see-the-flowers-through-the-trees/feed/ 0 00:01:01 August 28, 2008 Learning to identify the native flora and fauna has had a rich tradition rooted in our American history. The study of ... August 28, 2008 Learning to identify the native flora and fauna has had a rich tradition rooted in our American history. The study of natural history starts can be accomplished one flower at a time. Photo of cranefly orchid, Tipularia discolor, courtesy of Rose Brown. This show originally aired in August 28, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net When Teddy Roosevelt, known to be both big game hunter and amateur botanical collector, was asked to give an account of his interest and experience as an amateur naturalist, he replied, "The former has always been very real; and the latter, unfortunately, very limited." I imagine most of us amateur naturalists feel pretty much the same way: it's nigh impossible to imagine knowing very many organisms to the species level with the latest count around 2 million named and millions more suspected. So we amateurs fall somewhere on the spectrum between curious and crazed, seeking to manage the acquisition of knowledge in ways that personally give pleasure. Birders pursue life lists in the attempt to actually see every one of the 9000 plus species. Botanists pour over plates in herbariums to see if a variety they've found is a sub-species, alternate, or possibly a cultivar. To me, a newly minted Virginia Master Naturalist, it seemed right to start to find my own rhythm of discovery and naming after finishing the class in the spring. So for the last several months, I've been scribbling notes in field books whenever I go out; capturing images with my digital camera, and trying to find the time to just collect the information in a way that will help me build a knowledge base for the plants and animals of this watershed on a seasonal basis. Early in July, a notation in my appointment book provided just the impetus for a new and perhaps higher stage of discovery. In one corner of the book, I had written: "Start looking for the cranefly orchid." This reminder had been written after a field trip in the late winter woods with Tom Dierauf at Ivy Creek where he pulled back the brown leaf litter to show us the shiny dark green leaves with raised purple spots, the matching mauve underside, a harbinger of the inflorescence to come. "This will all die back, and in the summer, about the time that the crane flies hatch, the plant will send up a stalk, a beautiful stalk with pale delicate flowers." Tipularia discolor, it is called, this member of the orchid family. It was an invitation to a quest ndash; and so, one weekday morning at 7 a.m., I met my fellow-graduates, Amy and Rose, at the Ivy Creek Natural Area, and headed down the path to the place we'd seen the plant's winter leaves. I walked slowly along the slope above the reservoir, and though I had seen pictures of the plant online and knew by the guides that it would be about 30 centimeters tall, I was not prepared for what emerged out of the brown duff of the hillside. Camouflaged, smaller than I imagined, were slender stalks adorned with the flowers, each no longer than an inch and made up of the requisite parts, ovary, sepals, petals, all delicately curled like a young shy girl, with a light green column, one each inclined and angled just so for the Noctuidae ndash; or owlet moths ndash; upon whose eyes this waxy compound of pollen attaches. As we each bent in turn to see these flowers better in the dim morning light, bringing the land lens to eye and focusing on the parts, I was struck by the form of the flower, looking much like the cranefly itself. Those large winged insects that hover by outdoor lights in the summer, looking too much like a mosquito for comfort ndash; but in reality, insects whose adult stage is defined only by the search for a mate ndash; no biting, stinging, or eating of any kind for this family of flies. The search successful, we walked a bit further, seeing now that the orchids are... Albemarle,County,,Ecology,,Education,,Ivy,Creek,,Natural,History lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/03/06/79-rocking-around-charlottesville/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/03/06/79-rocking-around-charlottesville/#comments Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:00:20 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/03/06/79-rocking-around-charlottesville/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/03/06/79-rocking-around-charlottesville/feed/ 0 00:01:01 On a field trip with the training group for the Rivanna Master Naturalists, students learn see 1.2 billion years of history in five stops around ... On a field trip with the training group for the Rivanna Master Naturalists, students learn see 1.2 billion years of history in five stops around Charlottesville, just looking at rocks. This show originally aired on March 6, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. March 6, 2008 Itrsquo;s a whirlwind geologic tour of the Virginia, and it all takes place within five square miles in Charlottesville. Wersquo;re a group of Rivanna Master Naturalists, standing before a rock outcrop that borders the rough boat launch into Ivy Creek just upstream of the Woodlands Road bridge. Tom Biggs, Professor of Geology at UVA, invites us to use the rock hammers hersquo;s brought along, stepping forward himself to take a swing. A chunk of rock cleaves off, dropping into his practiced hand. This is an outcrop of the Lovingston formation, a high grade metamorphic formation of foliated feldspars and granites that represent some of the oldest rocks in Virginia. Itrsquo;s what geologists call the basement or foundation of Virginia, laid down when the first major mountain-building event called the Grenville orogeny took place some 1.2 billion years ago. Wersquo;re being encouraged by Tom to take a closer look, so we pull out our loops ndash;those clever magnifying lenses that you flick open from their protective cases into the crook of your index finger. Bringing lens to eye, and rock to lens, ,we look for the pattern of alignment that indicates itrsquo;s gneiss. Gneiss with a ldquo;grdquo;. that is, the name for a type of metamorphic rock that generally has visible grains of feldspars, that group of silicates that predominantly makes up the crust of the Earth. Therersquo;s something about holding a rock in your hand and knowing it is literally as old as the hills that inspires an appropriate pause. Tom has spread open a colorful map of the geology of Albemarle County, the most recent one available, published by Wilbur Nelson in 1962, and likely based on research done in the 50rsquo;s when plate tectonic theory was just emerging. Needless to say, it is out of date. Itrsquo;s not that rocks have changed so much in the fifty odd years since that this map has been produced, but research by geologists has certainly rendered some of the theories about these rocks obsolete or, at least, questionable. Each rock type ndash; by formation - is given its own color, and this two-dimensional map shows the predominant type in a given location down to a depth of several thousand feet and in many cases much deeper. Cross sections along various transects enhance the story of the land, revealing the great folding anticlines and synclines that resulted from the major mountain building events on the east cost of North America. My three-dimensional visualization skills are not the best, so I keep referring to the variety of views and draw sketches in my book, hoping Irsquo;ll make better sense of it during my review later on. The repetition helps, and Tom is generous with his knowledge with us Master Naturalists-in-training. As Master Naturalists, wersquo;re joining a statewide corps of volunteers that is provides education, outreach, and service, extending the reach of the various state agencies. Like Master Gardeners, once trained and certified, wersquo;re required to volunteer in the community by giving trainings, or helping in restoration work, or offering our time to citizen science projects. But for now, wersquo;ve got a whole lot of information coming in with weekly class time and field trips with specialists like Tom, whose disclaimer is familiar, when he tells us, ldquo;In these three hours, yoursquo;ll be getting an overview of what I teach in a semester to my freshmen.rdquo; Fortunately, the study of natural history can be life long ndash; and these classes are designed to impart basic information, but more importantly, to instil... Charlottesville,,Education,,Geology,,Ivy,Creek,,Natural,History lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/01/03/71-learning-trees-at-icna/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/01/03/71-learning-trees-at-icna/#comments Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:51:36 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/01/03/71-learning-trees-at-icna/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/01/03/71-learning-trees-at-icna/feed/ 2 00:01:01 Learning the names of trees and plants at the Ivy Creek Natural Area provides the beginning of a lifetime of naming the things we see ... Learning the names of trees and plants at the Ivy Creek Natural Area provides the beginning of a lifetime of naming the things we see and may eventually hold dear. This show originally aired on January 3, 2008 on "The Rivanna Rambler," a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. The School Trail at Ivy Creek Natural Area got its name because itrsquo;s just right for taking a group of kids on a 45-minute guided walk in the woods, something the Ivy Creek Foundation guides have been doing free of charge since 1980. Itrsquo;s three-tenths of a mile long, traverses both field and forest, and ends up at the Barn for a closer look at natural history artifacts and exhibits. On a sunny fall morning, Irsquo;m with a some kindergarteners from Free Union Country Day School, so young, and so very small compared to their teacher, myself, and Tom Walsh, our guide for the day. Though Tom claims hersquo;s not very experienced, I know hersquo;s been around the trail with kids before when he stops at the row of trees in the middle of the parking area and asks, ldquo;Now, who is the leader here?rdquo; in a firm but kindly way letting them know the rules of the trail. Follow the leader, donrsquo;t take anything from the Natural Area, and stop and listen when he has something to show. And from this moment on, it is all show and tell, starting with an inspection of the dogwoodrsquo;s red berries. ldquo;And what happens to the berries after the birds eat them?rdquo; They all look at him, silent, until he says, ldquo;Well, the seed inside the berry gets pooped out, and this is where a new tree grows.rdquo; The word ldquo;pooprdquo; gets their attention, and suddenly they are all making noises and thinking this adult is OK after all. We start down the mowed trail through the native grasses stopping at clump of thistle, thigh high with seeds scattered from their brown heads. Tom bends one down so the kids can inspect it, telling them that just a month ago, goldfinches had built their late summer nests here and raised and fed their young. Empty of both nest and food, we use our imaginations. We enter the woods where the School Trail veers off to the right and begin to learn about some of the 20 most common trees in Virginia. You can get your own guide from the Ivy Creek website and with the signs marking the trees, this could be a self-guided tour. But today, we have Tom introducing the holly tree with its pointy green leaves. Musclewood, its sinewy trunk easy to identify. High as the sky, we look up to see seed pods on tulip poplars. Stopping in front of another tree, its smooth gray bark scarred by initials cut by a knife, Tom tells the kids that itrsquo;s just like cutting the skin of the tree, and asks ldquo;You wouldnrsquo;t like someone to do that to you, would you?rdquo; We traverse the hillside, making plenty of healthy noise pushing through the dry leaves, our learning stops getting shorter as attention spans wane. By now, each child has picked up a small branch to use as walking stick, or to rake leaves or tap the trees. ldquo;Will we see any animals?rdquo; Tom shakes his head slowly, not wanting to diminish their joy of being outside in the woods which is, along with the learning, the point of our being here today. It is difficult for me recall exactly what I knew, or was taught, when I was the age of these kids. Blessed with an abundance of outdoor time, did I know the names of the trees and plants I encountered? Though naming something is not the same as truly knowing it ndash; this requires understanding habits and ecology -- without names, we cannot learn or converse about what we see, nor be specific about that which we hope to protect. ldquo;Now, whatrsquo;s this one called?rdquo; Tom asks in front of a tree wersquo;ve seen before. ldquo;Hollywood!rdquo; shouts one of the kids, which seems as good a mnemonic as any for a tree that is ... Education,,Ivy,Creek,,Rivanna,River,,South,Fork,,Trails,and,Footpaths lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No